Better Than True Love
by thelosthumans
Summary: Stefan is fighting so hard, he's fighting because he just got her back and he won't be able to forgive himself if he leaves her once again. She is keeping him there and he knows that they are not safe. SHE is not safe. Whatever was in the vault, it spreads. Takes place after 7x22.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It has been rough three months. Lost brother with his pal. Not only lost, two humanity free vampires on a killing spree. They all are worried and are on full detective duty, Stefan, Caroline, Bonnie and Alaric. This time, they're working like human detectives, without Bonnie's magic they can't do a locator spell to locate them so they have to keep up with every news of every little town in all the fifty two states. When they finally tracked them down, they had no idea that it was this worse.

Three more months have passed, the both ruthless vampire besties were locked in the cellar of the Salvatore mansion, while the others were on detective duty, the part two of the mission, to find out what is wrong with the two of them, because it's not just a vampire nature, it's not just a flipped switch, it is something else, something that involves magic. A curse.

We were absolutely clueless for three months and when we finally tracked them down, we were torn apart. There was absolutely no way we could figure out what has happened to them. They were not humanity free Damon and Enzo, they were something else, something more evil and threatening. The evil in the crypt was a cursed by a witch a thousand of years ago, the witch was a slave of a group of vampires, the Armory killed their leader and as revenge they made the witch do an evil curse. Bonnie thinks its black magic. Anyway the Armory, back then managed to seal the crypt by the help of a witch, a Bennet witch. So they weren't just humanity free vampire, Damon and Enzo, they were cursed too and for the past three months I've tried everything, from torture to emotion bombarding on both of them and I don't think I've anymore strength of deal this anymore. I seriously want to give up, because Damon is gone, he is not in there anymore. I want to walk away, start over but I won't do it this time, I can't even think of losing her again. Caroline. She's all I have. She is keeping me here.

Stefan's lips turned up. Even her name made his muscles vibrate, his heart race. He looked up to her sleeping carelessly on his bed. Her blond curls covering her face and light coming from the big window in room made them look like gold. She's adorable and she definitely is better than 'true love' he and his brother have experienced, she is his charm, his best friend, his sober sponsor, his everything. He loves her, even after spending three years apart from her.

She's scared, Elena. The curse is like a virus, it spreads easily, from vampire to vampire. Like when I go to cellar to check on them, they start playing with my brain. I start having these visions about her getting tortured, dead, it burns the anger in me and I have to try so damn hard to fight it. It feels so real and it makes me want to flip my switch too. Of course, she is scared. I am scared too, I just got her back. I got my girl back and I am never letting her go. Ever.

'No. Please. Stefan…' she got up, screaming in fear, her breath panting and her heart racing. He ran to her with vamp speed, sat beside her and held her shoulders, pulling her closer.

'Shh. It's okay. I'm right here.' he said, kissing her head and stroking her shoulder.

'I thought…'

'No. No. I'm right here. I'm okay.' He said, pulling her head to rest on his chest so that he could press his chin on her head and stroke his locks.

'Promise me you'll never do it. Stefan, please. Promise me, that you won't _leave_.' He could feel this shirt damp with her tears. He pulled her closer, even closer.

'Caroline, hey. Shh, enough with crying,'

She pulls away from him and stare deep into those green eyes, his hand grabbing the back of her neck, their foreheads pressed together.

'You didn't promise…' she said, another tear rolled down her check.

He collected her, her cheek against his chest once again, so tightly like she is a treasure, and she is, she is more than that and said, 'I promise.' He knows he can't promise it. He can promise that he won't _leave_ her by turning it off, but he can't promise that Damon and Enzo won't kill him. He's not safe. They are not safe. SHE is not safe.

He moved in the bed, fixing herself right beside her, holding her so that she could feel her safe. Even though the sun was flashing rays in the room; they both closed their eyes, their bodies tangled.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

They all were in the Salvatore library, Stefan somehow convinced Alaric to move here with the girls. They were still researching, still unsure what is wrong with them. They knew what they're dealing with is magic based they are sure of it, but the rest of it were just assumptions. The only source they had, she ran from the rehab. This was a curse, but who did the curse and can it be undone?

'Nothing in here, I've read it from back to back' Bonnie said, 'Hey Caroline, I'm putting these ones on your 'books to read' list.' She added, handing over two heavy and ancient books to Caroline.

'I, uh, I've already read these.'

'When did you…' Bonnie was surprised.

'When you and Damon were… I don't exactly, dead? And when Stefan…' She sighed and then continued, 'the point is Bonnie, there is nothing in the books. I've read all the witchcraft literature; we have to go on detective road trips to find what we need.' Well, yes, they thought that a witch did this as a revenge because the Armoury killed her ally vampires but they didn't have any proof, it was just a prediction and it was not valid. They had something in mind-that it is a witchy vampire virus. But all the hows and whys and whens were still unanswered.

'She is right.' Alaric said, closing another book, 'I'll go check on them.'

'Ric, no wait,' Stefan said but Ric cut him off by saying 'You are a vampire and for the past couple of days you've been risking your humanity, we can't lose you. The virus can only play with a supernatural being's head and I am the only one who is not supernatural, let me go.' Stefan nodded.

'Oh look who is here, the human.' Damon laughed.

'What? You have a desire to kill me too?' Ric responded.

'See, I am a monster and all i want to do is kill and kill and kill.'

'What about Elena? What about the fact that when she wakes up, she'll hate the person you've become?'

'I don't give a damn about Elena! She made a choice to leave me, she made a choice to let her witchy-best friend live.' Damon's voice rose.

'Are you listening to yourself?' Alaric said, 'Stefan! Stay out of it.' he shouted as he heard Stefan's footsteps.

'Oh crap. I am done with this human drama.' Enzo vamp sped and in a second or maybe two, he broke Alaric's neck.

'Enzo, no! What have you done? He had kids!' Stefan screamed. Caroline rushed in after listening to him, "Oh my God, Alaric.' and she fell on the ground. Stefan pulled the gun from his back pocket and vervain shot the two monsters.

Alaric was dead and this time death meant death for him, death meant completely gone, death meant never coming back. There was no other side, no phoenix stone, no 'coming back from the dead' ring. Ric was human and he was gone.

 _Dear Elena,_

 _It has been two weeks since Ric died, now it is just the three of us along with two weird-emotionless killers and a huge mystery to solve. The girls are doing-well, they are three year old, what do you expect? I shut my humanity off when I lost a parent and they're just… They never leave my side. Lizzie is getting nightmares, Jossie never talks. I am worried about them. Stefan has been very supportive, taking care of me all the time, making sure that the girls are safe and okay, checking on Bonnie, fighting the brain torture Damon gives him everyday. He has been over-protective, he keeps on telling that he can't lose me one more time and suddenly all the pressure and worries get a little dull. I thought I'll never be able to forgive him, but I was wrong. I can't stop myself from forgiving him. He melts me Elena, more than anyone has ever melted me. I just can't risk losing anyone now. Sometimes I feel so guilty that no one is looking after him, that he is getting tired, he stays up all night by our side to make sure that we are okay, he's does research, just trying to find something that'd lead us somewhere… He just doesn't let himself rest. It worries me, because I too can't lose him again. I just can't go through the pain again._

 _Damon is not the same person Elena and we all are incredibly sorry for not being careful enough but you won't see this version of him, I promise. We will fix this._


	3. Chapter 3

'Mommy, mommy! Mommy please wake up.' Lizzie entered the living, where Caroline was taking a nap.

'What is it sweetie?' she said in her sleep. Just then Stefan came downstairs, in his white t-shirt and gray sweatpants. He smiled when his stare landed on the love of his life, sleeping peacefully on the sofa while her three year old daughter was trying her best to wake her mom up.

'Hey baby girl, what is it?' he said, almost in a whisper and the little girl turned around, her eyes red and cheeks wet. He frowned and moved towards the three year old with open arms and she slipped into his arms. 'You had a bad dream?' She remained silent and rested her cheek on his shoulder, her tears wetting his shirt. 'Tell you what, why don't we go out? Uncle Stefan and Lizzie.' She nodded and he stood up, lifting the girl in his arms.

'Mommy is going to be mad,' she said as they drove down the road towards McDonalds, 'she doesn't like us to go out late at night.' Stefan smiled, looking at the reflection of the little girl sitting in her car seat.

'Naah, she won't be mad. I promise.' and she smiled, revealing all her milk teeth. 'So, a Happy Meal and choco cone?' he asked her and she nodded happily. After getting her the food, Stefan drove to a spring near the Mystic Falls border, he parked the car on the side of the road, opened the back door and lifted the girl out of the car seat. Her lips were lined with chocolate and she was smiling.

'You hear that?' Stefan asked.

'What is it?' she asked.

'That's water roaring.'

'Roaring?'

'Come, let me show you.'

Lizzie finished her meal by the spring and after that they stood there, by the rushing water for hours They were watching the sunrise when Lizzie said, 'Will mommy die too? Like Daddy?' The words hit Stefan, piercing his heart and spreading thorns in throat. He swallowed hard, pushing the thoughts away and said, 'No. I promise you, I won't ever let anything happen to your mom.'

'Because you love her?'

'Yes, because I love her.' he replies, flashbacks started playing in his mind, he could feel his heart flutter and his lips twitch upwards. Even the thought of her completes him. She is her happiness.

Lizzie held his pinky suddenly and said, 'Will you be my new daddy?'

Stefan was shocked, with surprise, with happiness, with love for this little girl. He was about to say "of course yes." when his phone started to ring in his pocket.

'Hello, Stefan..' Caroline spoke, her voice shaking.

'Caroline. What happened? Are you okay?'

'Lizzie is gone, I can't find her… Where are you?'

'Hey, shhh. It's okay. She is right here,' he said to her on the phone and then to Lizzie, 'talk to mommy.'

'Hi mommy. I am out with daddy, see you soon.' the girl said, quickly hanging up, giving the phone back to Stefan who was looking at her, the girl who just called her 'dad'. He lifted her up and said, 'Pancakes for breakfast?'

She was there in his arms at night, her head on his shoulder, his arm stretched underneath her. He was holding her tight, like she is going to slip from his grip. This quietness gave him peace, made him happy.

'Stefan, I am worried about Lizzie, I am not sure she understands that Ric is gone… I mean, today she was telling me that she was with daddy.' Stefan let out a small laugh. 'What? Why are you laughing?'

'Your daughter isn't hallucinating Ric, Caroline. She asked me if I could be her new daddy… God, I can't tell you how amazing it felt…' he stopped the moment Caroline lifted her head up and loosen her grip, her eyes watery. 'Only if you want to…' he continued.

'Do you love them?' she asked, tears falling down her cheeks. He cupped her face in his hands, looked deep into her eyes, so deep that the warmth of his stare burned her from inside and said, 'Caroline, they are adorable. Anyone would love them. How can I not? I always wanted to have children and plus, they are your daughters. Everything that you love, I love it equally.' She moved closer to him, pressing her body to his chest and he kissed her hair, rested his chin on her head afterwards. After swallowing some silence, she said, 'Thank you, Stefan.' His grip became tighter as he whispered, 'I love you.'

She didn't say it back, she wanted to but she was still afraid to admit it and let him all in. He didn't force either, he said that he'd wait and he'll wait for her.

'You know, you're my happiness. You're like the magnet to my happiness. Everytime I start finding happiness, I always end up with you. You're my natural pull, Caroline.' he said.

'How?' she said, her voice breaking.

'Elena asked me to stay happy, I ended up with you. Valarie told me to be happy, I ended up with you.'

'Valarie…?'

'She knew that I can't ever love her the way I love you, no matter how much I tied to convince myself that you're happy and I should let you live a normal, danger free life, I wasn't able to let you go. Klaus told me to let you go, but I couldn't. How could I? I love you, Caroline.'

She lifted her head up and pressed her lips on his. Her one hand on his chest and the other in his hair. She pulled back, just for thirty seconds to look in his eyes and said, 'I love you too.' and this time he pulled her, their foreheads, noses, lips, their whole bodies collided, crashed into each other like they were hungry.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hi, hey. I am really sorry for not posting. I thought I was just wasting time and I wouldn't to be able to finish it and it won't be good enough and all of the readers are gonna waste their time reading it, basically my OCD was pulling me down. But then I got a few private messages from you guys and I though, hey let's give it a try then. I planned the story, I know where it goes, how it goes, etc etc but then I was just... maybe in a writer's block. Also, freshman year at collage is so tougher than I thought it would be. I kinda miss highschool. So, here it is. Really short, but I'll try to make the next one a bit longer, I promise.**

"Hey best friend, what are you thinking?" Stefan said, when he sensed Caroline's worried silence beside him. No response. "Caroline," he repeated, moving closer to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. He stroked her wet cheeks his lips to get her attention.

"Hmm…?" she finally responded.

"What's the matter?" he pulled her and made her head rest on his shoulder and her nose brush his shirt.

"They are turning four today and I just can't stop thinking how sad they are going to be on their birthday without their father. I haven't even planned anything. I am scared for them, Stefan. I am scared for you. I'm tired of all this hurt…" her voice cracked and she shattered into sobs.

He held her closer, squeezed her, stored her hair, "As long as I'm here, I won't let anyone or anything hurt you. Now go to sleep. I don't want some random thoughts mess with my precious girl."

Stefan, being the adorable and kind and sweet person had planned something. The moment she fell asleep, he shifted slowly, slipped out of the sheets and managed to leave the room without making a sound. Although it was very hard for him to leave her side but he managed somehow. He had something important to do.

Caroline felt the sun on her face. "Stefan, please!"

"No Caroline. You please," he said, playfully.

"I please what?" A smile was playing on her lips.

"You please get up and hug me and kiss me maybe?"

The door to their room opened, "Mommy! It's our birthday" Lizzie and Josie came in, all cheery and ran into Stefan's arms.

"Hmmm. I heard my two favorite babies got older today." Stefan said, hugging them both. "Why don't you both brush your teeth and come downstairs? I'll make breakfast." He turned around, threw a pillow towards Caroline, "You too missy. Up!"

"Shut up." she rolled her eyes and forced herself out of bed, wearing one of Stefan's gray t-shirt which basically covered her hips. Stefan kept staring.

"What?" she said, 'Stop creepy staring me!"

"Hmm? Uh, um.. Nothing." he said nervously, "See you downstairs."

After a while, Caroline came downstairs, the living room of the boarding house was fully decorated with happy birthday posters and pink, purple and white balloons. There was a cake on the coffee table. Bonnie was there too, looking alive, with a smile on her face after a long time.

"What is all this?" Caroline said.

"It's their birthday," he replied.

"You did this all for my girls?"

"Our girls, Caroline. Our girls." he said, slipping his fingers in hers.

The birthday party went great. For those few hours they all were happy, completely in the moment, enjoying each other's' company, wishing for the best when the candles were blown. It was like those minutes were in slow motion, letting them cherish the smiles, because deep down they both knew that this happiness won't last for and they have to turn their worried-detective look on any minute.

There was a knock on the door, Caroline rushed from the kitchen where she was making cookies. "Who is it?" she said as she opened the door.

"Hi"

"Tyler? What are you…"

"Stefan called. What the fuck is going on?" he yelled.

"Tyler, you're here." Stefan said, as he walked towards the door and slipped her hands around his girlfriend's waist. Tyler moved, stepped back and crossed his arms, "Hey, you should go check on the twins," he said to her while brushing her hair with his fingers, "I told them bed time but I'm pretty sure they both are sitting in that castle."

"Well, you're the one who bought it for them." she laughed, "You spoil them a lot."

"Glad you're done with your romance. Why am I here?" Tyler said, he seemed a little pissed.

Stefan raised his eyebrows and moved his hands on his hips, "Look Tyler," he said, his voice loud and clear, "Damon and Enzo have turned into God knows what…"  
The vein on Tyler's forehead popped out "Hold up. What? When did this happen?"

"Long story short, almost four months back. That's why I called you. Alaric died, Matt moved on and we lack manpower. I need your help."

"Stefan! Man, you should've told me earlier."

"I am a little surprised. You're being nice. Thanks, man." Stefan said, moving towards

"Shut up, punk! So, what's the deal?' Tyler said as Stefan closed the door behind with a loud sigh.


End file.
